'Fashion Rocks': 11 Things Seen and Heard

We went behind the scenes on the carpet and inside the arena to bring you the scoop. Enjoy.

Onstage and onscreen, Fashion Rocks had its high notes (and flat moments), but the Tuesday night telecast intersecting sound and style had more going on behind the scenes, including reminders to cheer, a slew of giveaways and a performance that started to clear out the Barclays Center audience.

Pret-a-Reporter recounts the 11 things seen and heard inside the arena and on the red carpet of the CBS event:

1. When the live broadcast begins at 9 p.m. ET, the seated audience — composed of both devout fashion believers in notable heels, trendy hairstyle and labeled pieces, and music fans in jeans and clubwear — was only about 80-percent filled. Still, they gave 100 percent of their shouts for show opener Usher. After his performance, pictures of Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj and Pitbull triggered the biggest cheers during the opening credits.

2. The first performer to actually evoke a palpable energy from the live audience is Iglesias, who sang "Bailando" with Sean Paul and Gente de Zona, and was introduced by Tommy Hilfiger and the most popular model of the evening, Naomi Campbell. They hit the stage over half an hour into the event — maybe the beers started kicking in?

3. Hunger Games actress Willow Shields, who arrived in a Kate Spade floral ensemble, got really enthusiastic when we asked her about the one song that gets her dancing when no one's watching. "I would dance to any song if nobody was watching," she squealed. "Right now, I have "Riptide" by Vance Joy. I've been listening to it for a while and now it's becoming really popular, which I'm excited about." It's far from a booty-shaking type-of-beat, but we'll take it.

4. After taking photos on the carpet, J. Lo was rushed into the venue — but not before giving a royal wave to fans and reporters, who were longing to have a few seconds with before the show started. Still, she waved at us and we felt special for, like, a second.

5. While designer Steve Madden's look hasn't changed in years (a white tee and baseball cap), he noted that there's one part of his wardrobe that is different: "I think my jeans are baggier now." As for the musicians whose style he digs? "Iggy Azalea is great. I love T.I.'s music and his style. I like Ja Rule's style, too," he told us on the carpet.

6. Justin Bieber prefaced the Calvin Klein fashion show by stripping down to his boxers, or his "Calvins." Though he was welcomed by an overwhelming slew of boos from the audience, he started flexing, and the high-pitched screams drowned out the haters.

7. Afrojack told us he's a big fan of shoes — so big a fan that he owns more than 300 pairs. Um, can he get us a few kicks while he's at it? Please?

8. Before MAGIC! performed their breakout hit "Rude," the group was introduced by New York Giants' Victor Cruz, who also got a ton of boos — or did he? No way. The fashion and music crowd thought the sports fans were hating, but they were just chanting his last name. which apparently sounds less pleasant in an arena than a stadium.

9. Following her "Booty"-bouncing, black-and-white spectacle, Lopez — in a shimmering Versace silver minidress and high ponytail — received the longest post-performance applause and loudest cheers of the night.

10. As Nicki Minaj also touted her bum during "Anaconda" in denim shorts and an embellished bra, the cameras kept panning to a seated Lopez, who wasn't enthused by the former American Idol judge's performance as Carmen Electra, who was dancing in the audience. A noticeable-enough percentage of the crowd started to clear out of the arena after Minaj's moment.

11. Event sponsors Maybelline, Garnier, Calvin Klein and others hosted pop-up beauty booths and selfie stations around the arena lobby. Attendees were given lengthy program books with bios on each performer, plus beauty and style inspirations for each of the evening's genre. Garnier gave out facial scrub samples as guests scurried out to catch Ubers and subways.